The Restrained Guardians
by Jetta Knex
Summary: As his story unfolds, he must be rid of the ancient prophesy, but, that which he fears, will come sooner than he thinks. In a way he never imagined it...and was worst of all, it could cost him more than his life, his sanity.
1. The Restrained Guardian

**The Restrained Guardians**

_---"Damn it, Goliath…!"---_Was his maddened response. ---"_It doesn't work that way!"---_he growled, looking at the old gargoyle with blinded rage.

His eyes were fuelled with pride, but, as his pride grew older, so did his impatience toward the gargoyle. Time and again, Goliath, the Manhattan Clan's leader refused the idea of leaving his old home, at the top of a human tower, to the quiet inurbane realm of Liriel, Jacob's secluded territory.

_---"I will not go with you, Jacob, I am sorry, but I will not leave this safe home, to go to a new land."---_was Goliath's response. Glaring warily at the young gargoyle, each time he returned to Eliza's tower he appeared more and more irritable. _---"You still think is wise to move from one place to another, after all the things we have to cope with? Do you still think we'd grow accustomed to other things after what we've been trough?"---_he asked seriously concerned.

_---"You have come to know other "human" things."---_responded the dark gargoyle with disapproval.

Goliath stared at him gravelly...

Staring at him with utter dominance and a flicker of haughtiness. _---"In my home you will return to the era and the way of living you were all accustomed to."---_He commented, both of his hands extending to the right of his sides. _---"Or has your liking of the old traditions changed_? ---he asked, at a hold, a bit insulted and a bit suspicious

Goliath didn't answer.

Was it the strained of the long flight? Was it his unchangeable answer _"No" _that angered him in a way so forceful Was it, maybe, the feeling of not been able to bring him back to Liriel? Defeat? Or was it, just, something else…? Goliath didn't know…

He took a step toward the Liriel gargoyle, his hands opened in a welcoming way. Letting him know he wasn't an enemy, assuring him respect.

Jacob sturdy himself and hissed, his teeth showing in a menacing way_---"I will not sympathized over pitiful gestures."---_he commented, covering his chest with his long bat cerulean-black wings, and his long jet-black hair gliding to his face. His built was thin, but with enough muscled that made him appear deadly. It gave even the most confident gargoyle a cautioning "watch out!"

Goliath sighted and dropped his arms. There wasn't anyway to please him.

Night seem to loom over them both, as the silent moon watched from above. The two males continued talking and discussing probabilities. Hope for Jacob seemed as the same as the man he was named after.

The other gargoyles have been led inside, by his continuing request to speak to their leader alone and _only_ alone.

Even though, Goliath promised him privacy, Hudson, Lexington, Brooklyn, Broadway, and even, Bronx. Where keeping an uncertain eye and a cautious ear on them from afar. Something about him didn't bring the word "thrust" into overview and by Jacob's opinion that was fine with him. He even welcome the distrust and somewhat "fear" of the other clan member's. He only wished to speak with Goliath, personally.

…

Brooklyn continued to stare at him from inside the tower. Looking thru the window, he couldn't make the feeling of uneasiness ripple from Jacob's possessive stand, he looked down at Bronx, who slobbered a bit and cried worried at his master's leg.

_---"Hey, stopped that!"---_he commented, pulling the dog from his leg. He shoved him aside and continued to sit in the cardboard box near the window.

The dog whined a little and left the blood red gargoyle for the slightly large and blueyish one. Sitting in the middle of the room with a defeated face. Broadway petted the dog and stared at Brooklyn worriedly. _---"Well, what do you think?"---_he asked in a glum voice.

The red gargoyle stared at him confused and then gave a slight look out the window. ---_"I think…"---_he said_---"…I don't trust this guy."---_he finished seriously. Staring back at the others.

Lexington supported himself near Broadway's side. _---"None of us thrust's him."---_he commented with his eyes wide opened.

_---"So that's it, we're all gonna die."---_acknowledged Broadway in a defeated way.

The other two gargoyles stared at him in disbelief.

_---"No."---_commented Brooklyn in a cold way. _---"We're not going to die."---_

Broadway smirked. _---"Yeah…we are."---_he said standing up and going near the window. Trying to not be seen from outside. _---"Have you seen the size of him, Brooklyn?_"--- He stared out.

The other gargoyle shoved him aside, as well. _---"Yeah, and Goliath, and any of us can beat him."--_-he pronounced casually.

_---"I wouldn't be so sure of that."---_another voice interrupted.

The young gargoyles stared at the down coming stairs in the side. Hudson appeared with his yellow and wise eye.

They were silent for a moment.

…

_---"Goliath!"---_Jacob exclaimed exasperated. _---"This is my last proposal…!"---_he said furiously. His wings opened and his green eyes sharpened on the clan's leader face._ ---"Will you come with us to Liriel?"---_

…

_---"He is a Lirielly."---_Hudson established gravelly_.  
_His stared disapprovingly at the two males.

…

_---"No."---_

…

_---"He can kill us all…"---_

…

A furious growl was heard.

…

_---"…with just one blow."---_

…

Silence was heard as the two beasts established themselves in a enraged uproar. The young gargoyles looked out the window as they reacted to the scene. Hudson stayed at the tower, looking in a saddened and desperate way.

Jacob delivered himself to the flow of his instincts and deafened the ears of morality, sense, and the brief humanity that he glided from.

"_There just had to be a way!"_ Was his last, coherent, thought.

……..

Well, this is my first Gargoyle based story. : )

Hope you liked it, if you did or didn't, please write me a review. Since I depend on those opinions to know if to continue the story or not.

Here we have a created gargoyle from me, Jacob. Still a little too early to defined him, you can see at least he has a temper, and a very proud heritage, if I may add.

My Hello's…!  
Jetta Knex


	2. Into The Labyrinth

**Into the Labyrinth  
**

_---"Argh!"---_screamed the dark gargoyle, leading his entire body with his extended claw, bent on piercing the other gargoyles chest.

Goliath's eyes shifted to that of a clear mist and the growl he delivered was one that could be heard down in the city's busy streets. Many of the citizens will surely confuse it with thunder. But, there was no foggy or wet sky. So they would obviously ignore it.

Jacob moved diligently, not really wanting to extinguish his chance of a reconsideration of the Manhattan clan, he jumped from the floor just before he or Goliath could pound each other badly, making a swift hold on the other gargoyles arms he landed behind him smoothly with a furious laugh._ ---"Did you know that if this were a serious battle you'd been killed already?"---_he asked, wickedly, his eyes starting to blaze green.

Goliath was shocked…he saw him moved, yes, but…the jump…the evadeness, it was all too quick, all too swiftly. He stared at his back, moving with deep tardiness. Then, a maddened cry was heard, another one followed, and the echo of both were revived with a last solitary one.

The young gargoyles moved with ferocity and offense toward the new drifter gargoyle. Darkness seems to overwhelm their figures to a much more muscular size. Looking like enraged devils clinging to there masters side. Protecting him and striking vengefully for him.

Brooklyn was the first one to come in a distance of even scraping him. Broadway followed crashing at his site, and Lexington crawled in all four's on the towers wet blocks. Bronx growled and started barking intense, he was the first one to jump toward the gargoyle, and Jacob hurriedly evaded the pooch with all his friends.

He jump, gliding toward the back of the tower, were one of the columns rested, and evaded the five gargoyles with faint happiness. -_--"Quantity does not mean quality!"---_he commented at the creatures. Truth, he was enraged at the decaying of his proposal, and what was worst he had to keep the promise and the end of his proposal. He wouldn't interfere, nor help, in any way the Manhattan clan. If he ever tried to assist them…he would end up breaking his word, and that was worst than dying…in his mind.

He then stared at Goliath and bowed with respect. The young gargoyles growled with rage, and Brooklyn was more willing to take him on, even on air, but Goliath, extended a claw over the second-in-command, and ordered him and the others to stay in the castle.

Taking to the night skies and gliding, one last time, over the clan's people and its leader. Jacob made a faint and disillusioning response. _---"So I see you won't change your mind, this is a real deception, but, it is what it is. I'm sorry, Goliath..."---_he commented seriously. Sure, humans could probably see a winged demon hovering over the mortal created castle, but he didn't really care.

The leader looked up at him gravely. ---"_I am sorry too, Jacob. I hope you find what you're looking for elsewhere."---_he said serious. His purple wings folded around him.

The dark gargoyle assented miserably. ---"_If I still have time…"---_he said openly. For the first time they could see a more human emotion coming from him. His eyes returned to the fade green they were and he looked through the hole in the tower. _---"Tell your elder…I send him my best wishes."---_he answered badly ashamed.

"_Great, now that's out of the bag…"_ he thought annoyed with himself. He looked at the clan who now stared at him confused and made a jest of goodbye with his hand over his head.

The gargoyles stared at him seriously…suddenly a noise was heard from inside the tower. A thin figure appeared at the entering way. All the gargoyles and even Jacob looked aside, at the back.

The figure walked silently toward the other gargoyles and as the moon reflected on her, Eliza Maza walked out from the shadows.

Jacob almost lost his balance in flight and was shocked at what he saw. _"A human woman…!"_ he studied with surprise.

_---"Eliza…"---_commented the clan's leader as he stepped between the drifter and the female.

The dark gargoyle continued to stare in disbelief. Losing a bit of altitude in his frantic surprise.

So that was what kept Goliath and the other members from moving or returning to there usual ways. This meant, that all the human things they have settled upon, they had, the technology, the food, the toys, must be from…heck, even the mortal tower must be hers!

Jacob didn't need to think it twice. As he saw those female eyes burning and staring at him he knew he must leave. Immediately, been a very slow word. He pressed his wings one more and started gliding toward the front city, leaving the tower silently behind, and his residence, in sudden aloof.

_---"Was what that all about_?"---asked Eliza, puzzled, as she saw the distant gargoyle leave without a word.

Goliath sighed mortified. He looked down at his human companion and smiled vaguely_.—"A lost clan leader looking for a pack..."---_he responded with a saddened smile.

The other gargoyles seem shocked. Staring at each other in disbelief.

Eliza stared at him confused and the red jacket wearer returned the exhausted smile. ---"_You know, you confuse me, big guy..."---_she said, as a soft breezed tingled with there hairs.

_---"Yeah, didn't he talk about a clan living in Liriel or something like that_?"---Brooklyn asked gravelly.

_---"Is that the same gargoyle that's been coming and going every weeknight?"---_questioned Eliza lost in thought. If she didn't know better, she'd think he was desperate for Goliath's aide, but, the lean gargoyle didn't appear to need any help at all, of course that was what the other young gargoyles said.

Goliath assented quietly.

_---"But why is he desperate? He sounded just whinny to me…"---_interrupted Brooklyn thoughtfully.

_---"…And a little bipolar, too."---_commented Broadway. Looking tiredly at the city lights.

Goliath turned to the red gargoyle. _---"And I thought that I asked you to not eavesdrop."—_he commented neutrally.

Brooklyn lowered his gaze, smiling ashamed. _---"Yeah, well…we wanted to make sure you weren't going to be attacked or something like that."---_he responded. Looking stupefied as he answered the large gargoyle.

_---"Busted!"—_murmured Broadway, near his ear. He was beside him and oddly smiling happily.

Brooklyn growled and thumped the blue gargoyle with his long red tail.

_---"Ow!"---_Screamed Broadway mad. _---"Watch it!"---_

_---"Why are you so happy all of a sudden Broadway, you were the one thinking he was going to kill us all."---_commented Lexington gliding down to the middle of the other too. His expression relaxed.

_---"Oh, and you almost succeed…"---_a voice interrupted.

Hudson came meeting them up from the back. _---"In making that attack…a reality."---_the elder walked with his hand back at his spine. Looking wise and mortified at the same time.

Goliath and the others gazed at him expectantly. The old gargoyle just laughed and stared at its leader.

_---"He said, something about…wishing you the best…"---_commented the purple gargoyle_. ---"Do you know something about this, Hudson?"---_

The elder stared vaguely, silent for what it seemed like an eternity. He walked near the end of the tower and gazed out at the route the drifter had taken. Sadly he knew all about it. Sadly, he must keep honor; sadly, he must a keep a promise…

………

Let's see…

So I see Jacob fitting in with Dream Theaters song 6:00. I don't know, James Labrie voice seems most adequate for him, and the mood I want to merge into the story is a dark atmospheric type. So, I hope it worked.

: ) My Hello's  
Knex


	3. Flight of Insanity

**Flight of Insanity**

The flight was longer than Jacob had anticipated.

True, he couldn't complained, since there was another shorter, faster, and safer route near the city, than gliding through the green country side, but there had been a complaint, from the other gargoyles, about there being "poachers" and human guardians stalking about the clans cautious and harshest route, and he had promise to investigate that in his return.

The other thing, was that he had a certain dislike of the noisy, human, light-that-almost-makes-you-go-blind, machines. Even so, on his detour back he couldn't help pass slightly low on the humans guard machines. Someone probably saw him.

Night seemed to illuminate his dark features and the cool breeze dusked his aggravation, but, still, he couldn't shake the idea of Goliath and the whole Manhattan Clan neglecting his petition once again.

_---"Damn them."---_he cursed infuriated.

There was so much to be aware of, so much to look after, so much trust to be neglected!

He had hoped that Goliath's acceptance in the Lirielly Clan would suggest that he could maintain the balance and self control in his mind. That the presence of the Wyvern Clan would help him focused on the task at hand, that it would remind him to evade the unavoidable, and to be loyal to himself. He'd even hoped that the clan leader could exchange guidelines on how to lead a pack, but, he had not expected this.

Again he cursed.

It was evident he was leaving the country side, illuminated in the back with the city life, and heading toward an even greener landscape. Jacob could see different houses, many, of which, were separated by a good amount of land.

Little human cottages lighted dimly in the outdoors and hidden darkly within. Though he saw one, not so far away, that he thought had every torch and highly lit light in the entire city. Inside and out the human house looked like a small star on earth. A faint music was heard on it and sounds of voices singing, chatting and laughing where followed by it.

_---"Heh."---_He smiled slightly. So it seems human had ceremonies and festivals too.

Jacob gathered his unrelying thoughts once more. Worried appeared to have lighten his night, once again.

"…_In the mist of power and doubt, you will find another who seeks the same as thou. Thus, remember the time lost will not be gain and the memory to remember, remembers the same. The ruin of the unity will come in a form of a mortal, a winter's lass forever in horror; thou must gain solitude and loneliness to regain what's lost and hastily taken apart, for remember if not regain it will be lost forever and forever in pain, tragic is in vain. Blood will flow from thou and the winged devils cry will chill the sky."_

He had memorized every word and sentenced. He knew the prophesy by heart and even with his extensive knowledge and years gathered, Jacob could harshly guessed what it meant.

"…_The ruin of the unity will come in a form of a mortal," _he knew this meant a destruction of some kind, a war of some sort, and he believed the destruction was meant for his clan._ "…a winter's lass forever in horror;" So_ it was a female, a woman, who would deprave his clan, who will cast it on hell fire, who will destroyed it. "…t_hou must gain solitude and loneliness…" _and the prophesy told him, that he must remain alone and in darkness to regain his clan, his people, himself.

He sighed grave and mortified. What on hell was he going to do? He thought that the Manhattan Clan would sum up his expectations on rendering the prophesy, but, know he only had his wits and expeculations on what the prophesy meant and what might he do about it.

The grass started to grow higher and the trees were denser. He could only interpret he was on his way to the old Lirielly route.

Jacob became more suspicious of his surroundings. Studying every inch he scouted with detail and focused. Alert ever for the white aspect of the human vehicle with red lights and highly strapped and uniformed mortals.

He never understood them, never comprehend why where they so obsessed in researching and touching the gargoyles and knowing if they were real or just illusory. He could only estimate fear made them behave that way. The unknowing always acting about in its ugliest form.

He looked near the wooden trees, the fog starting to lower itself from the near cold mountain tops.

He could see the hidden bridge, swamped with heavy rocks and stones, mostly destroyed, in the way that it didn't allowed any human or technologic pass through its back. The lake that hovered down was always at a low level. Repenting the humans from diving or trying to cross from the water. That way, they couldn't get to the gargoyles; either they were detained from entering Liriel by sea or earth. Sky had its other security…and that was magic.

The clear night view was cut short by the pasty mountain fog and the young gargoyle decided he should do another quick check, from start to end again, ensuring he saw nothing wrong or irregular on the old route.

Jacob turned around and started examinating the end of the trail on high altitude, then; when he arrived in the beginning of the path, sighing, he lowered himself near the tree tops, where he could smell the pine groves and the muddy earth. Where the wind murmured songs of silent and hollow serenity. He felt at ease there.

Alone, with nature guiding you, away from the bustling city and its blinding lights, that once again where behind him, he wondered how Goliath and the others could find peace there. Then he remembered the female, the black haired woman. Goliath's future, or maybe present, mate. He didn't know, nor didn't he care. Details in that aspect where non important to him.

He just thought about the feeling of company, understanding, and the warmth, many people rumored, it brought.

Suddenly, he felt a flare coming up from within his left wing. _–-"Argh!"---_Jacob winced in pain. He pushed desperately to regain control, moving his right wing up and down, up and down, trying to evade the fall. _What on heavens was going on?!_ Another burn impacted his tail. He screamed in pain and closed his eyes shut.

He knew the unavoidable, with his right wing injured and his tail for balance burned, he was going to crash in at least ten seconds from a height of about twelve feet. The impact didn't sound as good as he thought.

…and it wasn't.

Avoiding a tree, but landing right on a bush that stung every part and inch of his entire body. He then felt harshly on the ground. Coughing and burning, he cursed under his breath as he tried to sit up and check for the damaged. _What on hell happened…?_ He wondered turbulent and perplexed as he finally sat down on the rusty ground and tried to shift his left wing to his front for a clearer, more detailed view.

It was a miracle he could see, with so much obscurity and so hastily agitated at the time.

Jacob accessed his wing, the dark extension was hack in the middle by a medium hole, that appeared to have been burned from the ground up, it smelled awful and he started to see small amount of blood dripping from one of the veins where the object that impacted him had stroked. He remained silent, still unable to define what just happened. He put his lips on the incinerated part and removed what was left of burnt and blood, hoping that it will stop bleeding until he arrived to Liriel. He guarded both wings over his chest and moved on to his tail, sliding the extension to the front.

The extension seemed worse, though it was smaller than the hole in the wing; it had a bluish and black circle surrounding it. The rip was small, but the circles that appeared around seemed to grow by the second. So that meant he couldn't fly to Liriel, because of the wing incision and the opening on his tail wouldn't help maintain the balance on flight either.

The gargoyle moved his head from side to side. In denial, he couldn't understand what on earth, heaven, nor hell had happened. First, he thought poachers…but, this late in the night? Then a noise made him silent even the depth of his thoughts.

_---"I told ya' I've seen it, didn't I?"---_

Another voice answered behind it.

_---"Yeah, yeah, now you've send it off someway on this here turf!"---_responded a male voice. To pitchy to be a normal, sane, male voice.

Jacob lowered his large body to the ground. As low as he could on a sitting position. He, then, heard footsteps and the male voices gathering closer and closer.

_---"What on 'ell was I going to do?"---_commented a hiccupping human. The one that talked at the beginning, Jacob recognized. _---"See a flying thing and let it be on his way, huh?"--_-The male breathe insensitively. _---"I say after we're done with this here "thing", we come back and look at it."_---

_---"That's "for it" you drunken, nincompoop!"---_sighed the second man. It was the first time Jacob could see the leaves and bushes moving about. The "sane" man started sighing again. _---"Hey, I've got an ideal…"---_the man continued, sounding a bit odd, from Jacob's point of view. The old man sounded like he was a hunter circling it's pray.

_---"An idea? Hey you're drunk too, don't talk fuss, Mortimer!"---_

_---"I'm not Mortimer, ya fuss, you are_!"---stated the man. Coming now into visible view.

He looked like a middle age man. Dressed in old, unwashed clothes. His beard was white, but, Jacob couldn't really tell since it was surrounded with dirt and many brown colored substances. He moved his tongue trough his lips and then looked back at the still invisible companion. Excitement in his eyes.

In a few feet away from of him. Jacob fell witnessed to the second coming of the dark ideals of men. Another man came out the damped forest carrying a long, faintly glowing creature.

The white creature had its hand wrapped around the drunken man's hand that held her lips shut. She tried to make faint escapes but the strength of the human, with the excess of alcohol seem to paralyze her attempts. Tears appeared to moisten her face.

The gargoyle stared quietly. He recognized the human woman, but, just like gargoyles, she was different from Goliath's mate and other humans. She had a sadness and a hushed desperation about her…

He was silent and shocked, now his mind processing the atrocity's this human males were talking about.

_---"Aye, shut up!"---_growled the man called Mortimer, staring down at the woman. He then looked up at the other bum. ---"_So what it's your ideal, you say?"-_--he asked, his feet widening and trembling impassively.

…

I imagine these two bums like the pirates in The Pirates of the Caribbean. So that is where I get the dirty image and irritable drunken accent of. For the girl, I am listening to Space Dye-Vest from Dream Theater; it is a very sad and desperate song. So it sets the mood just right.

I hope you like it…!

My Hellos!  
Knex


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